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Closure of Cow Parks ‘a retrograde Government policy’ – Tóibín

Sinn Féin Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín has received
information from the Minister for Agriculture which he says “indicates that the
closure of the last remaining Cow Parks is government policy”. The answer to
the parliamentary question states that the ‘disposal of the remaining land
including cow parks is an essential element in the wind down of the former Land
Commission.

Teachta Tóibín said:

“Yesterday, Westmeath County Council won a court case that
could see farmers who have been farming a cow park in Edmondstown, Kilucan in
Westmeath for 40 years being evicted. This is a retrograde step. There has been
in Irish law for hundreds of years a provision whereby landless farmers have
been able to access common land in order for them to rear cattle and make a
living.

“It is also important that we do not privatise ordinary
people off the land. It is healthy that the state facilitates a connection with
the land and with producing food. Many countries allow for this through the
provision of allotments and Cow Parks.

“There are indeed Departmental concerns with
regards the mixing of herds and animal husbandry but there are solutions to
these problems that do not include the ending of one of the last provisions of
the state to allow landless farmers farm.”